FBM KLCI Stays Lower At Midday As Regional Markets Trade Mixed

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia remained lower at the lunch break, while regional market performance across was mixed as ongoing trade tensions continued to weigh on sentiment.

At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) erased 5.27 points, or 0.34 per cent, falling to 1,520.59 from last Friday's close of 1,525.86.

The benchmark index was 0.60 of a point better at 1,526.46 at the opening bell, and subsequently moved between 1,520.02 and 1,526.70 throughout the session.

Across the broader market, decliners thumped advancers 639 to 228, while 416 counters were unchanged, 1,184 untraded and eight suspended.

Turnover stood at 2.34 billion units worth RM1.43 billion.

In a research note, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said US stocks ended mixed, as President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs between 15 per cent and 20 per cent on European Union (EU) imports reignited trade tensions.

“Wall Street ended mixed last Friday as investors digested strong consumer sentiment alongside persistent trade uncertainties. Trump is considering imposing higher tariffs on EU imports, above the 10 per cent rate that the bloc is hoping for, signalling stalled negotiations ahead of the Aug 1 deadline,” it said.

Back home, Malaysia's gross domestic product growth estimate of 4.5 per cent year-on-year for the second quarter of this year, released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, beat Bloomberg’s median forecast of 4.2 per cent, driven by strength in the services sector.

“However, growth momentum may moderate in 2H 2025 amid Trump’s tariff headwinds and the Sales and Services Tax expansion. Nevertheless, we continue to favour the construction and utilities sectors, supported by the ongoing data centre investment boom and infrastructure developments," the brokerage firm added.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank fell one sen to RM9.51, Public Bank dropped five sen to RM4.26, Tenaga Nasional was flat at RM13.78, CIMB gained one sen to RM6.52, while IHH Healthcare added two sen to RM6.59.

As for the most active stocks, Sunway Construction plunged 80 sen or 13.78 per cent to RM5.18, NexG improved one sen to 50.5 sen, Pharmaniaga advanced 5.5 sen to 21 sen, and Silver Ridge eased one sen to 21 sen. 

On the broader index board, the FBM Emas Index fell 52.02 points to 11,427.81, the FBMT 100 Index shed 50.04 points to 11,191.65, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 65.11 points to 11,427.76. The FBM 70 Index dipped 123.45 points to 16,574.27, while the FBM ACE Index trimmed 48.81 points to 4,622.98.

By sector, the Financial Services Index decreased 50.19 points to 17,304.63, the Energy Index edged down 0.84 of a point to 738.29, and the Plantation Index slipped 27.23 points to 7,414.66. The Industrial Products and Services Index slid 1.54 points to 153.84.

-- BERNAMA